Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The months are flying by at an ever increasing speed and it is freaking me out! Ok, sorry... dramatic, I know. We've had a fun month with lots going on (you can see more about some of that here). That being said, we still managed to squeeze in a bit of reading. Here's what we can share for our March reads!

Sarah's Reads!

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
From Amazon.com: "Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads: Madeline
is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she
remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi
new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their
daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is
this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter
seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This.
Possible?). Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes
the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times,
who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys
are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king
and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a
price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to
pay. New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another
mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and
harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste
soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival
of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all."

Big Little Lies was my book club selection for the month and I reeeeeally enjoyed it. Last year we read The Husband's Secret, so when this new book from the same author was released, we were all eager to read it. I don't really think this is a spoiler... but at the very beginning of the book, you find out that by the end of the book someone will die. So throughout the entire book you're trying to figure out who it's going to be and secretly hoping that it's not any of the characters you really like. Similar to The Husband's Secret, this story is told from the perspectives of three different women. I love that getting the story from each person lets you in on parts of the secret bit by bit until the end when it's like WHOA did not see that one coming. Overall, a super quick and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

My Rating: 5 Stars

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
From Amazon.com: "Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she
rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes,
and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple
breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows
them. 'Jess and Jason,' she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is
perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost. And then she
sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on,
but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself,
Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably
entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone
involved. Has she done more harm than good? Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut."

There's been a ton of hype about this book recently and I've seen it on numerous lists for "Books You Should Read if You Loved Gone Girl". It definitely has a Gone Girl vibe to it, but I have to admit that I didn't like it as much. The story started out much slower than I would have preferred and the "big reveal" was more of a gradual reveal that you figure out for yourself over several chapters. If my review of Big Little Lies is any indication, I wish they would just drop a big truth bomb that completely shocks me rather than slooooowly reveal the "big plot twist." Also similar to Big Little Lies, this book is told from three different perspectives. I thought this was really refreshing and needed for this story. Regardless, still a good read and at times, quite a page turner - I think you should give it a go.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide: Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body, and Feel Your Best by Editors of Martha Stewart Living
From Amazon.com: "It’s time to hit the reset button. This book emphasizes eating clean,
whole, unprocessed foods as part of a primarily plant-based diet, with
delicious and healthy recipes that make it easy to do just that.
Refreshing juices and smoothies, savory snacks, protein-packed main
dishes, and even delectable desserts will keep you satisfied all day
long; among them are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and
allergen-free options, each identified by helpful icons. Comprehensive,
informative, and utterly satisfying, Clean Slate is the complete go-to guide for boosting your energy and feeling your best. More than just a cookbook, Clean Slate, from the editors of Martha Stewart Living, provides you with the nutritionally sound information you need to shop for and prepare food that nourishes body and
mind. You’ll find guidelines for restocking your pantry with whole
grains, beans and legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats; glossaries
of the best sources of detoxifiers, antioxidants, and other
health-boosting nutrients; and menus for a simple 3-day cleanse and a
21-day whole-body detox, with easy-to-follow tips and strategies for
staying on track."

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for review. This is a cookbook, so I will admit that I didn't read it cover to cover, but the beginning of the book is full of valuable information about the benefits of eating clean and advice on how to adapt these changes to your life. Since Nick and I made the decision to cut meat and dairy out of our diet last year, it has been very hard at times to replace what we cut with vegetables and unprocessed foods as opposed to prepackaged veggie burgers and bread (so much bread). This book is packed full of recipes, many of which are vegan (or could easily be adapted to a vegan diet) and I know that we're going to put this book to good use. We actually made a delicious recipe from this book that we're going to be sharing with you shortly! In addition to the amazing recipes, menus, and additional information on eating a clean diet, this book is also full of beautiful photos that make every dish look mouthwateringly good. To learn more about this book or it's authors, visit the Random House website.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Nick's Reads!

Deception Point by Dan Brown
From Amazon.com: "When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object
buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a
much-needed victory...a victory that has profound implications for U.S.
space policy and the impending presidential election. With the Oval
Office in the balance, the President dispatches White House Intelligence
analyst Rachel Sexton to the Milne Ice Shelf to verify the authenticity
of the find. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the
charismatic academic Michael Tolland, Rachel uncovers the unthinkable:
evidence of scientific trickery -- a bold deception that threatens to
plunge the world into controversy. But before Rachel can contact
the President, she and Michael are attacked by a deadly team of
assassins controlled by a mysterious power broker who will stop at
nothing to hide the truth. Fleeing for their lives in an environment as
desolate as it is lethal, their only hope for survival is to find out
who is behind this masterful ploy. The truth, they will learn, is the
most shocking deception of all."

This was certainly an entertaining book. I, of course, was a big fan of The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, so I was fairly confident I'd enjoy this book as well. It was exciting, interesting, and pretty fast paced. That being said, I was pretty critical because I was so pleased with his other novels, and it didn't quite stack up. This is not part of the Robert Langdon books, so it's different in many ways, but overall still very readable and enjoyable. One thing I do want to mention is how unnecessary it is that Brown feels the need to add in little flits of romance or love. I mean, the world is basically coming to an end, and someone's hand brushes up against someone else's and we're expected to believe that just for a moment, all the chaos seemed to go away... yeah right.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Well, we're off to see one of our favorite bands tonight! (The Decemberists - woop woop!!!) Have a great first day of April and try not to get fooled!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Over the past couple months I have become increasingly obsessed with hairpin legs. They make any ordinary table or chair look infinitely cooler and I've been itching to incorporate this mid-century modern look to our decor.

Our living room coffee table was definitely in need of an upgrade, so this was the perfect opportunity to give hairpin legs a spin. The bad thing about hairpin leg tables (and the legs themselves) is that they can be a little pricy (at least by our standards). So I made it my mission to make an awesome hairpin leg coffee table without dropping big bucks - spoiler alert - I think we definitely did it.

Remember in our office makeover when I shared that our L-shaped desk was made from two Ikea Linnmon tables? Well, Ikea makes those tables in various colors and various sizes. When we picked up the 47" and 59" tables for our desk we also grabbed a 39" table top, which is the PERFECT size for a coffee table. Oh yeah, and IT WAS ONLY $6!

There are a bunch of places online to purchase hairpin legs, but my research showed that the average price was around $15 per leg, and the quality was a bit questionable. Eventually I found a set of four 16" legs on Etsy for $50. These legs have a 5 star rating, they're individually handmade, and they come with screws and floor protecting caps - SOLD. I am so happy with the quality of these legs and would highly recommend them to anyone looking to purchase hairpin legs. We have hardwood floors in our apartment so we have to be careful about the legs of our furniture and I love that these legs came with floor caps so we didn't have to find an alternative somewhere else.

Once we had all of our supplies, it was time to put together our beautiful new table! The Linnmon table top has pre-drilled holes for the various types of legs Ikea sells, but we needed different holes to fit our hairpin legs. We marked where the holes would need to be for the hairpin legs and then Nick drilled new ones. After that it was easy breezy, we just screwed in the legs, attached the plastic caps, and welcomed the new coffee table to the Surznick living room!

What do you guys think? Isn't she a beaut? This table is a few inches deeper than our previous coffee table, which is nice for candles, books, etc. The MCM (mid-century modern, not man crush Monday) look is a much better fit for our living room decor too. Total cost for our hairpin leg coffee table: about $70 (with tax and shipping and stuff). Not too shabby for a table we absolutely love (there are way less cute coffee tables out there for way more money).

If you're curious about what's to come for our old coffee table, stay tuned - we have something fun in store and you know we'll be sharing all the deets with you soon. Have a great week!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Hi friends! Sorry we've been so MIA lately. Life has been busy I suppose, but not blog busy... more like relaxing busy. I think we've just hit an end of winter slump and needed to step back and take a breather for a few minutes. It's been rather nice, but we've missed the blog a bit too. No worries though, we've got more DIY projects, recipes, and even a shop update on the horizon. For now, here's a quick summary of what we've been up to over the past few weeks (via mine and Nick's Instagram photos.)

The first weekend in March was the warmest we've had in awhile. We hopped on a bus to Pittsburgh's Strip District to visit the public market, grab a coffee, and sample beers from a local microbrewery. In the evening we walked to Lawrenceville for dinner and drinks with friends.

While most of Pittsburgh was partying and parading their little hearts out for St. Patrick's Day, Nick was in Philly for a work conference and I was just trying to avoid the rainy, dreary weather. Don't worry though, when Nick returned to the Burgh we tossed back a few green beers with our friends Sarah & Joel.

We took last Friday off work and spent the first day of spring in Lancaster. It was so cold and snowy, but I can't say no to free Rita's Italian ice. We ate an incredible vegan lunch in downtown Lancaster at The Seed (I think I liked the decor just as much as the food). And of course, a trip to Lanc isn't complete without a stop at The Taproom. My beer of choice is the Lil Gruesome (peanut butter & jelly stout), while Nick prefers the Big Gruesome (peanut butter & chocolate stout). Isn't The Taproom the coolest?

Saturday morning we went flea market browsing at Saturday's Market. In addition to the mannequin heads and keys, we saw quite an eclectic mix of goods... everything from candy to navel piercings and thousands of dishes to witchcraft courses. Saturday was also my sweet mom's birthday! We toured a winery, made homemade pizza, and watched National Lampoon's Vacation. I love her dearly and was so happy to spend her birthday with her.

And... that's about it! Thanks for letting us share what's been going on lately! I promise we'll be back with projects soon. We hope you have a great week!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

When it comes to city life, I think I've hit the sweet spot with work location. Both my previous and current jobs are in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh (ironically enough they're just across the street from one another). If you're not familiar with the Burgh, Oakland is home to both Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, which means that there are a LOT of restaurants.

One block of Craig Street alone is home to American, French, Chinese, Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and many other types of food. Our Out of the Kitchen pick this month is a little cafe on Craig that I've been dying to try after seeing so many of my coworkers grab food there during lunch - it's Eat Unique!

The Atmosphere:

The atmosphere for the most part is nice - nothing too fancy. The space is fairly large with a lot of seating, but not much space to wait for your food, especially if you're taking it to go. That being said, we visited on a Friday evening and it was quiet and bright, with large windows perfect for people watching (one of our favorite past times). We also really loved the super bright and bold colors of the walls: green and this great orange.

The Food:

(Nick): This Garden Chili (vegan) was super good. We visited the cafe in the midst of one of our coldest streaks in Pittsburgh this winter, and this bowl of hot delicious chili was incredibly welcoming. Never have I ever had a vegan chili that so perfectly satisfied that need for a good hearty chili.

(Sarah): I think at this point, I'm becoming a vegan-burger-aholic. In addition to recently making our own, a veggie burger has been my go-to when we dine out. I have to say, my favorite is probably still Burgatory, but the Malibu Avocado Burger at Eat Unique was scrumptious. A vegan veggie burger topped with avocado, lettuce, tomato, and brown mustard on a crusty telera roll... how can you go wrong?

Non-vegan recommendation: A few of my coworkers have mentioned that their favorite sandwich is the Meatloaf Melt (A new twist on an old favorite. Homestyle meatloaf served hot on grilled farmbread with blue cheese, barbecue sauce, and bacon.) It sounds so. good. Please eat one for me and then don't tell me how much you love it because you may break my vegan heart.

We'll definitely swing by Eat Unique in the future! Do you have any favorite Craig Street restaurants in the Burgh? Where's your favorite veggie burger from?

Monday, March 16, 2015

Hi everyone! Sorry for the radio silence over here... Nick has been out of town the past few days and I've been immersing myself in a Parks and Rec bingeathon (it's nice to take a break sometimes). But speaking of radio... we're back today to share some of our favorite podcasts!

Until a few months ago, the podcast world was pretty unfamiliar to Nick and I. Once we started hearing everyone and their sister talk about a little podcast called Serial, we decided to see what the hubbub was about. After listening to Serial, we both kind of became podcast obsessed, so here are some of our favorites that we highly recommend you check out!

1. The Nerdist Podcast - Hosted by comedian/actor Chris Hardwick (of AMC's Talking Dead and MTV's Singled Out fame), Nerdist is basically Chris and his friends just hanging out and chatting with famous people. It's not really an interview with specific questions, they're literally just hanging out, so it's fun to listen to celebrities pretty much just be themselves. Everyone from Tom Hanks to Tegan & Sara to Paul McCartney to Neil deGrasse Tyson has been on Nerdist. With about 650 episodes, you're sure to find an episode with someone you like.

Listen To: Episode 567 - Kristin Bauer van Straten (Not necessarily my favorite episode because I enjoy them all, but I just recently listened to this one and loved it, especially as a True Blood fan.)

2. This American Life - You've probably already heard about this podcast, or at least recognize the name. This American Life is the most popular podcast in the country and is broadcast on National Public Radio. Hosted by Ira Glass, each episode has multiple stories that center around one theme. There are 550 episodes, but TAL has a favorite's page on their website to help get you started. I only started listening a couple months ago, but every episode has been so interesting thus far. In addition to the episode linked below, I also loved the episode about William S. Burroughs and found the episodes on policing and race incredibly interesting.

3. DecodeDC - I found DecodeDC when searching for a podcast that would help me better understand political news. That's pretty much exactly DecodeDC's goal, "to help Americans understand how crucial political issues affect everyday life." These episodes are quick and easy to listen to (perfect for my commute to and from work). They recently did a 5 episode mini series about House of Cards that any Frank Underwood fan would love. Listening to this show is one of the first times I've found politics interesting (#sorrynotsorry).

4. The Moth Podcast - Similar to This American Life, The Moth is a podcast of different stories told via first person narrative. The Moth holds events at venues all across the country where these stories are recorded and then are released weekly through their podcast. There's actually a monthly event in Pittsburgh that I'd really like to go to sometime. Some of the stories on The Moth are hilarious, others are heartbreaking. I kind of like that you don't know what you're getting into when you listen to an episode.

5. #Millennial - The (silent hashtag) Millennial podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by 5 friends that provide commentary on pop culture and world events. This show is brand new, with only 7 episodes so far, so this is the perfect time to start listening. They discuss everything from Ferguson, MO to The Oscars. I love Millennial because the hosts are similar to my age and when you listen to the podcast, it feels like you're just hanging out with friends (sometimes rather vulgar friends - but that's cool with me).

Bonus: MuggleCast - I JUST found out about this podcast and have only listened to one episode, but as a Harry Potter lover, I know this is going to be added to my podcast rotation. MuggleCast was created and hosted by the same group that hosts #Millennial (which is how I discovered it). This show has been around for several years but took a bit of a hiatus. The returning episode just came out this past week, so this is the perfect time to get into this show if you want to listen to all things HP.

1. 99% Invisible - After our whirlwind addiction to Serial, I asked my best friend Steve to recommend some more podcasts for me. His first two recommendations are my first two picks. 99% Invisible is perfect for me. I'm not exactly sure what it is I specifically like to geek out about (Sarah says I'm a sponge, I'll geek out about anything!), but this podcast has some of the most fascinating background information on the nearly invisible aspects of our designed world, including architecture, money, roadways, civil engineering, music, you name it! Each episode runs about 15-30 minutes, and I just devour them one after another. Host Roman Mars is my new hero.

2. Song Exploder - The second recommendation from Steve, this is an absolute must for music lovers. Each episode, host Hrishikesh Hirway has a band or musical act walk the listeners through the making of one of their songs. We get to hear clips of the process and isolated tracks, as well as information and stories about what went in to the writing and recording process, and why certain decisions were made. Though I don't always like the songs at the end when they are played in entirety, as a fellow song writer, I absolutely love to hear about the process!

3. Strangers - I've been hearing about Strangers at the ends of my 99% Invisible episodes, as they have recently been added to the Radiotopia podcast community (created by Roman Mars.) These episodes are fascinating stories about strangers. That's truly all I can tell you about it. We hear speakers and real people talk about their interactions with strangers, and our host Lea Thau dissects the the social contexts and uniquenesses that make all of the people in this world connected to one another. Episodes are typically about 30-50 minutes and each is like a mini sociology lesson beginning to end. I really love how emotional and often uplifting these tales of human nature can be.

4.Invisibilia - This NPR podcast is perhaps one of the most powerful on the list. Luckily Sarah and I often listen to this one together and it is so much fun, because we get to share the experience of our minds being blown each episode. I want to quote directly from NPR's website to tell you what it is about, because I can't say it any better myself: "Invisibilia (Latin for invisible things) is about the invisible forces that control human behavior - ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. Co-hosted by Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel, Invisibilia interweaves narrative storytellings with scientific research that will ultimately make you see your own life differently." Doesn't that just sound awesome?

5. Criminal - In the wake of our Serial experience, we found Criminal listed as being perfect for fans of Serial, so we went ahead and decided to listen to it together (like we did for Serial). The first few episodes started a little slow, but the more we got to know host Phoebe Judge, and the essence of the podcast, the more we liked it. Criminal talks about criminal activity and human behavior. According to the website it is, "Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle." Each episode highlights one specific aspect about the criminal world, and it is wildly interesting.

Monday, March 9, 2015

When Nick and I first started getting into our office makeover, I knew I wanted a pegboard to keep our space clean, pretty, and organized. If you looked at the before photos of our office, then you know it was pretty much a disaster. None of my supplies had a designated home, so there were many times where I couldn't find what I needed, or I would make an even bigger mess trying to look for it. I knew having a pegboard would clean up this problem since every item has an assigned spot.

Here's how we went from awful to awesome and gave our office a little pegboard chic.

Basics
Our pegboard is actually two 2x4' pegboards side by side. The pegboards were less money than I expected, at under $10 apiece from Home Depot. I knew I wanted white pegboard, and luckily for us, these were already white on one side so no painting was necessary.

When hanging pegboard, you want to make sure that the board is sitting 1/3" or so away from your wall so that the hooks, pegs, etc. can fit behind the board without damaging your wall. To do so, we put 7 washers on our screws to keep the board from the wall. You can also purchase little plastic spacers to go on your screws, but washers were a pretty cheap alternative.

We also made sure to use wall anchors when hanging our pegboard, just to be safe and ensure that it can support the weight of supplies on it. Once you're ready to hang a pegboard, we recommend having a partner to help. It can be tricky holding the pegboard level while simultaneously not dropping 7 washers, etc., so have a friend nearby!

Storage

Pegboard storage can be super versatile to fit the needs of your board. When we purchased our pegboard, I wasn't exactly sure what kind of hooks, baskets, etc. I would need, so I decided to buy this 43-piece pegboard organizer kit and a set of three wire baskets. We used almost every single item in the organizer kit, so it was 100% a worthwhile purchase. We're using all three wire baskets too, but the spacing of the pegs on the baskets were kind of wonky and didn't fit our board, so we had to bend and cut them to make them work. Not exactly user friendly.

The organizer kit came with basic pegs and hooks that we're using to hold ribbon, twine, glue gun, tape, artwork, etc. They're super multifunctional. The kit also came with various other hooks for things like screwdrivers, pliers, etc. that we instead used for scissors and storing my knitting needles.

Nick and I also wanted to add some of our own storage, so we punched a hole in 4 paint-dipped tin cans to hold pencils, markers, and paintbrushes. We also made our own mini shelves out of a pallet board. These ended up being perfect for our various glues and Mod Podges.

Overall, if you took everything from our pegboard and gave it a different home elsewhere in our office, it would never be as organized or as easily accessible. Because everything on our board has a designated space, I think it helps to keep me even more organized and put items back where they belong so it doesn't look incomplete.

Style

Okay, let me go back to the beginning for a second, because we haven't even talked
about the "HELLO!" yet! At 5'4" tall, I can barely reach the top shelf of my
kitchen cabinets, let alone grab scissors or something from the top of a
pegboard hung above a table. It wasn't practical for me to utilize the
top of the pegboard, but I didn't want it to be empty either. The
pegboard is the first thing that catches your eye when walking into the
office, so a happy, colorful, "HELLO!" was the perfect greeting. We made the "HELLO!" using leftover yarn in a cross stitch pattern and installed the pegboard on the wall once it was complete.

I also wanted the pegboard to be full of punches of color. Our office can look so drab (as evidenced by those before photos), so pretty colors would really bring a lot of happiness to the room. We, of course, added the homemade rainbow wheel clock, but we also made sure the pegboard was home to our most colorful craft supplies, like yarn, paint, and thread.

As I mentioned above, I didn't want the pegboard to look incomplete, so that was one of my main
goals when styling it. I wanted the space to look full, but not
overcrowded. I think there's just enough clean, white, negative space
without the board looking empty in any areas. The best thing about pegboard is that you can move things around and re-style it as much as you want. I can't guarantee that I'll always want the same supplies on the board, so having the ability to change it around is definitely a selling point.

Art

Though the main purpose of the pegboard is to be functional, a little art can't hurt, right? I really wanted to use some space on the pegboard to showcase different art prints. The two on the board came in my A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail subscription. In addition to all of the cards you saw hanging in the office makeover post, Happy Mail also includes fun other items like notepads, stickers, pencils, and the art prints seen here!

That stitchable map is my favorite. It's a fun little reminder of all the places Nick and I have been together and the many, many more to see. I really love the "Adventure is Right Here" print too. The dip dyed look is so pretty, and I think it's a pretty good message too. Most of the time spent working in the office is quite an adventure (sometimes a disaster, but those moments are adventurous too). I also added a little cork square on the pegboard for things like stickers, stamps, and photos.

Well, that's just about it! Have I convinced you that a pegboard is basically everything you could ever want? (The correct answer is yes.) Are you using a pegboard anywhere in your home? Now that we have one, I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of having one in the kitchen... (we'll see if Nick lets me get away with it.)

DISCLOSURE

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